Level 3Experienced
The individual examination: over to you!
The answer
Your number is called. You walk forward with your dog, the judge greets you… and suddenly you don't know what to do with your hands!
The individual examination is the moment when the judge focuses on your dog, to assess its characteristics, touch it and watch it move. Your role is to make this examination easy, while keeping your companion confident.
What happens during this part?
The dog standing
You place your dog at the indicated spot, in a standing position suited to its breed. The judge looks at its overall appearance, its proportions and its morphological details.
The judge evaluates the dog against the official standard of its breed, taking its health and functional ability into account.
The hands-on examination
The judge examines the dentition and the closing of the jaws, then assesses the construction through appropriate handling. The judge may check, among other things, the body, limbs, coat and tail. In males, the testicles are also checked.
These checks must be possible: constant refusal that prevents the examination can lead to the mention “Cannot be judged”.
The individual movement
The judge asks you for a pattern: often an out-and-back, then a movement allowing the dog to be seen from the side. Follow the route indicated rather than a figure learnt by heart.
The dog must show its natural movement.
MyDogShow tip: show your dog on a loose lead: a tight lead or a head pulled upwards can hamper the observation of its movement.
The final look
On your return, the judge may ask for another stack, take another look at a detail or finish giving comments. Wait for the judge's signal before rejoining the other participants.
The exact order may vary. Watch the earlier runs to understand how the ring is organised, then stay available for the instructions given to you.
Beginner — 3 tips to find your bearings
1. Prepare a little routine
In training, repeat a short sequence: move forward, stop, stand, accept some handling, set off again.
Reward each step before linking them together. Your dog will gradually learn what to expect.
The exercise: a calm arrival and a few seconds standing are worth more than a long session in which it ends up getting impatient.
2. Leave room for the judge
Position yourself so that you keep control without hiding your dog. During the handling, avoid covering its head with your hands or blocking access to its body.
To show the teeth, follow the judge's request: there's no need to open its mouth wide on your own initiative.
3. Breathe before you set off
Before the movement, take a second to line your dog up and check your route. Set off gradually.
If it jumps or breaks into a gallop, calmly return to a steady pace. Sharp corrections are more likely just to throw it off.
Intermediate — 3 tips to gain fluency
1. Work on contact with different people
A dog that accepts your hands may be less comfortable with a stranger's.
Organise short mock examinations with calm people. Start with an easy touch, reward and progress according to its reactions. If it stiffens or tries to flee, reduce the difficulty.
2. Use the reward at the right moment
A treat can help keep its attention, if its use is allowed. But a hand that keeps moving can make the head turn or shift the whole dog.
During the examination, look for a calm attention. When the mouth is checked, make sure it isn't chewing.
3. Take care over your return to the judge
Keep to a straight line, slow down gradually, then let your dog find its footing again.
Train this return separately: it is often forgotten, yet it links the movement to the final stack.
Advanced — 3 tips to refine your run
1. Cut down on unnecessary interventions
Film a mock examination and count your corrections: feet repositioned, head turned, lead adjusted…
Identify which ones are necessary. Preparing a stable stance then makes it possible to let the judge watch without constant fidgeting.
2. Prepare availability, not just posture
Gradually get your dog used to different surfaces, to a person approaching and to small distractions.
The aim is for it to remain accessible during the examination, even when the environment changes. Increase one difficulty at a time.
3. Analyse one point after each run
Note one success and one concrete difficulty: “touch accepted”, “rushed start”, “unsteady stop”.
Then choose a single area to work on. You will progress more easily with a specific exercise than by trying to redo the whole presentation.
The useful reflex
If your dog hesitates, keep your voice calm and avoid cornering it just to finish at all costs. Tell the judge about the difficulty and follow the judge's instructions.
A good individual examination is prepared with confidence, repetition and simple actions.
These nine tips are practical recommendations. The texts below set out the judging and presentation within the FCI framework; national rules and those of the show may add to them.